Blue Jays Pick Up Fred Lewis From Giants For Cash Or A PTBNL

29 year old outfielder Fred Lewis, who had fallen out of favor in San Francisco, has been traded to Toronto. In return, the Giants will receive cash or a player to be named later. Lewis had been on the 15-day DL with a strained oblique since the start of the season, but he was activated by the Giants on Thursday, and to make room for him on the roster after the trade, the Blue Jays have optioned outfielder Jeremy Reed to AAA and moved starter Dustin McGowan from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.

Lewis had a big year for the Giants in 2008, but he ran into some struggles a year ago and all but lost his place on the team. This deal, then, saves San Francisco a little bit of money while giving Lewis a new opportunity and giving Toronto a new versatile outfielder. Lewis doesn't excel at any one aspect of his game, but as a lefty bat that draws walks, runs well, and plays good defense, he is not without his uses. With good range and a career OBP of .355 over more than a thousand trips to the plate, Lewis is clearly deserving of this chance.

It's unclear what Lewis' role will be with Toronto, but the likelihood is that he starts on the bench and works his way towards a platoon role with the righty Jose Bautista. Over his career, Lewis has struggled against southpaw pitchers but hit righties to the tune of an .805 OPS. If he does poorly, the Jays can cut him at little cost. But if he succeeds, the Jays will have Lewis under team control through 2013. He's not a player with a whole lot of upside, but he's a worthwhile regular, and a good addition should the Jays use him right.

Check out more on the trade at Bluebird Banter.